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Whisky and Food - Focus On Fish

Sip Smoke Savor is proud to publish this second in a series of articles developed exclusively for our website by Sheila McConachie and Graham Harvey, distinguished chefs, restauranteurs and authors of the award winning cookbook "The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food". If you'd like to ask a specific food pairing question, link up with Sheila and Graham in our Social Network forum.

Whisky and Food - Focus on Fish

Whisky and fish, who would have thought it? But why not? Whisky is such a versatile ingredient that it has to have its place both in a fish recipe and alongside it as an accompanying dram. Getting the match right is the key. What sort of fish is it? Is it oily fish, smoked, firm fleshed or more delicate like halibut? What about the flavor? Is it light and delicate like sole or does it have robust flavors like a spicy seafood chowder or a balanced marriage of flavors like Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes? You can find whiskies that work with them all.

Where to start? So many distilleries now have such a vast range of expressions that it is not possible to match each expression, so start with the classic single malt of each distiller to begin your pairing journey. To get you started we have a few suggestions below. This table can be read from left to right if you start with the food, or from right to left if you start with the whisky in your cupboard.

fish-chart

This month's recipe follows the focus on fish with Graham's award winning dish from The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival as featured in our book "The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food". The smooth Aberlour and orange sauce is a great hit in the restaurant and the dish is a WOW at dinner parties, although there seems to be a daunting list of ingredients and the methods look tricky. But don't be put off, have a go and you will have learned quite a few straightforward culinary techniques - enjoy!

Roast Spey Valley Salmon with Aberlour 16 year old Single Malt Whisky and Orange Jus, Served with Dauphinoise Potatoes and Baby Asparagus, Garnished with Nuggets of Black Pudding.

Serves 4

For the Dauphinoise Potatoes

Unsalted Butter

1 clove garlic peeled and finely sliced

26 oz. (750g) waxy potatoes peeled and finely sliced

1 large shallot finely sliced

3 oz. (100ml) vegetable stock

1.5 oz. (50ml) double cream

For the Salmon

4 fillets fresh Salmon (6 oz./175g each), skin on with scales removed

Plain flour

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Olive oil and unsalted butter for frying

Wild salmon roe for garnish

Orange jus sauce

3oz. (100ml) Aberlour 16 year old single malt whisky

3 oz. (100ml) fish stock

3 oz. (100ml) vegetable stock

Juice of one orange

Pinch of orange zest

Honey to taste

Salt and pepper to season

Vegetables and Garnish

12 baby asparagus spears - hard stalks removed

6 oz. (175 ml) Spring field greens washed and sliced

Pinch grated nutmeg

Instructions

For the Dauphinois Potatoes - Take a shallow 8 inch/20cm baking dish and butter all sides and rub in the garlic. Arrange the sliced potatoes and shallots in alternate layers, seasoning each layer and ending with a layer of potatoes. Add the vegetable stock and cover with tin foil. Place in preheated oven 375 degrees F/gas 5/190 degrees C for 35 to 40 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a sharp skewer. Remove foil, add double cream and brown in the oven for a further 10 minutes then set aside.

To cook the Salmon - Scale fish but leave skin on. Wash and dry salmon. Dust with a little seasoned flour and pat off any excess. In a non-stick pan, heat a little olive oil and unsalted butter over medium heat. Place salmon skin side down and fry gently until the skin has browned. Seal the salmon on remaining sides, then transfer to an ovenproof dish and place in oven 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees F/Gas 5/190 degress C. The time will vary according to how well you like your salmon cooked.

To make the Sauce - In a heavy based saute pan reduce whisky by 1/2. Add fish stock and reduce by 1/2. Add vegetable stock and reduce by 1/2. Add orange juice and reduce by 1/2. Add honey to taste to balance bitterness of whisky and reduce orange flavor. Season. Whisk in a little unsalted butter to emulsify the sauce just before serving.

Cook Greens - Steam asparagus for 4 minutes. Just before serving place the field greens and nutmeg in a hot pan with two to three tablespoons of water and stir gently for a couple of minutes to wilt the greens. Season, drain and set aside.

Black Pudding - If you have black pudding, slice and cut into diamond shapes then fry until lightly crisped. Set aside.

Assembly - Slice the Dauphinoise potatoes into slabs about the same size as the salmon fillets. Place the wilted greens on top the dauphinoise. Place the Salmon, skin side up on top of the greens and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the salmon roe.

Dress the plate with sauce. Add asparagus and fried nuggets of black pudding.

If you have a chance to travel to Scotland, visit Graham and Sheila at Craggan Mill Restaurant in Grantown -On- Spey, Moray, Scotland: www.cragganmill.co.uk and enjoy this dish created by the master chef, himself.

"The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food" GW Publishing 2008, ISBN 978-0955414572 2nd edition (9 Dec 2008).

Whisky and Food Part One

Sip Smoke Savor is proud to publish this first of a series of articles developed exclusively for our website by Sheila McConachie and Graham Harvey, distinguished chefs, restauranteurs and authors of the award winning cookbook "The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food".

Whisky and Food - Part One

sheilagraham Creating a recipe begins with understanding the relationship between all of the ingredients and how they will work together to produce the final dish. Matching whisky and food is merely an extension of this process. Do you want to capture the nose, the background flavours or the finish? Is it your intention for the dish to taste of the chosen whisky, or are your trying to create a subtle layer of flavour that changes what you are cooking from a very good dish to one that is utterly sublime? So, to start, stick your nose in the glass and sniff. With each whisky you will find a host of different aromas; peat, wood-smoke, tea, dried fruits, sea air, liquorice, vanilla, toffee, honey, almonds, citrus - the list goes on and on.

Some whiskies can give you a hint as to how they would prefer to be used. Take a nose of Springbank 10 year old and it will cry out to be used in your next Christmas cake. Have a whiff of Glen Moray 16 year old and it will be telling you to get the chocolate out. Do you enjoy the sweeter notes found in Speyside malts or the heathery background so often present in Highland whisky? The citrus notes of Aberlour want to be matched with a delicate, oily fish like salmon. When you taste the whisky it might give you a few more clues. Cragganmore is an extremely complex whisky which is very versatile and works so well with a range of foods, from a classic Onion Soup, through Roast Belly Pork, all the way to Rhubarb Queen of Puddings. The unmistakable peppery background of Talisker is a great seasoning for many a dish. Graham swears that Royal Lochnagar smells of woodland mushrooms and that is why it works so well with chantarelles, ceps and wild boar. Like wine it takes time to get to know the complexities and individual personalities of all the different whiskies, but what a wonderful journey of discovery. Have fun!

Whisky also makes a great difference in marinades. Create a basic marinade by adding olive or hazelnut oil to your chosen whisky, lemon or lime juice and herbs for fish, vegetables or other light dishes. Add Worcestershire Sauce and thyme to add strength and depth of flavour for beef, orange juice and spices for duck, basil for Mediterranean vegetables and so on. Just remember not to marinate fish or beef for longer than 30 minutes and you can go ahead and make your own delicious marinades.

Just as there can be endless debate about which Scotch is the best to drink, so there is similar scope for further discussion about which whisky goes best with certain dishes. If we can in any small way be held responsible for fueling the passions of those involved in this debate, we will be very pleased indeed.

For this first article, we have decided to introduce you to cooking with whisky with a simple yet very pleasing recipe taken from "The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food". Creamy prawn pots are so easy yet thrilling to eat...Enjoy!

Creamy Prawn Pots

Talisker 12 year old's peppery flavour and strong finish, lift this dish to new heights. This is an incredibly easy yet very glamorous starter.

Serves 4

1 ounce butter

2 plump shallots, finely chopped

14 ounces medium/large raw prawns or shrimp, shelled

2 tablespoons Talisker 12 year old Single Malt Scotch

1/4 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Garnish with fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Start by buttering 4 ramekins lightly or use a nice teacup! Now melt the remaining butter in a pan and fry the chopped shallots very gently until soft - do not brown. This will take about 3-4 minutes. Now add the prawns and heat through, quickly add the whisky and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat again but remove the mixture from the heat before it reaches boiling point. It is very important not to overcook the prawns or they will be rubbery and tasteless. Add the chopped chives and stir in. Season to taste and spoon into the ramekins. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and brown under a hot grill. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and toast triangles on the side.

Variation - vary the cheese you use. Try replacing the cheddar cheese with a very thin slice of goat's cheese log. You will then have a completely different dish that is equally wonderful!

Visit Graham & Sheila at Craggan Mill Restaurant in Grantown -On- Spey, Moray, Scotland: www.cragganmill.co.uk

"The Whisky Kitchen - 100 ways with whisky and food" GW Publishing 2008, ISBN 978-0955414572 2nd edition (9 Dec 2008).

Pair My Cheese With Whisky Please

scotch--cheeses

Cheese is one of the most fascinating food groups. Never boring, it provides such a great variety of tastes, textures and of course the delivery of that one-of-a-kind, robust olfactory experience. As a youngster I'd take a warm and gooey grilled cheese sandwich over "PB&J" any day of the week. As an adult I found that cheese offers just the right light snack to accompany my favorite dram. If you have not tried this taste duo, you might be surprised at how exquisite the pairing when properly matched. Something wonderful happens as the silkiness of scotch cuts through the creaminess of cheese and flavor notes of one accentuate the other. Together they offer endless possibilities for intriguing taste combinations.

If you have yet to experiment matching these two, you might find the vast range of flavors in both scotch and cheese a bit daunting to pair. So start with a trip to a reputable cheese merchant and sample a variety of co cheese-please w, goat and sheep's milk products. Let these experts guide you to the best selection for your palate. Once you have settled on your diary products, try to categorize by overall characteristics, whether tangy, nutty, sweet or pungent. Categorizations will suggest a certain range of whiskies to help narrow down your matching choices. Take your time to register the flavor notes of each cheese sample. I found that picking an accompaniment of fruits and nuts will further enhance those same notes in both cheese and scotch. Sometimes that "borrowed" fruit or nut flavor is the note that helps one zero in on the right dram. It may also help to seek out information on wine recommendations for each cheese as these are easier to find. If sherry is mentioned, try a malt with a sherry cask finish instead. Wine recommendatins also provide sweet, dry, or fruity clues to help reduce the trial and error of your scotch to cheese pairings.

Enjoy the journey of experimentation. Take in the visual, tactile and aromatic dynamics of both food and drink. Let your tongue explore the smooth, soft or sometimes grainy textures of the cheese. Then as you sip each scotch, contemplate the delightful marriage of flavors. Since there are numerous combinations that can come together, you are invited to start down the road with my favorite pairings. But don't hesitate to detour and make great taste discoveries on your own.

Tangy Humboldt Fog Cheese with a 14 Year Old Oban or Glenlivet 16 year old Nadurra

This soft and gooey cheese is one of the finest A humboldt-fog merican goat cheeses from Cypress Grove Chevre in Arcata, California. Its signature vegetable ash stripe down the center and under the rind, helps to neutralize the acidity and remove some of the "goatiness" of this tomme style cheese. Earthy, herbaceous with a slight tang, the Humboldt Fog makes a stunning treat when paired with spicy fig preserves (Academia Barilla brand) or a beautiful plate with fresh, ripe blackberries. The 15 year old Oban is a Highland scotch which carries through on the spicy, fig harmony but adds a little honey and whisp of smoke. The lovely Glenlivet Nadurra from Speyside provides a slightly lighter, fruitier malt with spice notes of anise and ginger.

Nutty Piave Vecchio Cheese with 14 Year Old Clynelish

This cow's millk cheese from the Piave River Valley region of Belluno, Italy is aged for one year and described as having almond and tropical fruit flavors. Piave Vecchio is a dense, hard cheese that goes well with white fruits such as apples or pears and is splendid when paired with the 14 year old Clynelish scotch from the Highlands. Clynelish has a crisp and light fruitiness that is sympatico with the nutty sweetness of this cheese.

Nutty Spanish Manchego Cheese with The Balvenie's 17 Year Old Madeira Cask or Glenmorangie's Sonnalta PX 12 Year Old

This Spanish classic is a semi-hard sheep's milk cheese with a slightly briny but absolutely nutty flavor. It is traditionally served as a tapa with a slice of quince paste placed directly on top the piece of the cheese. The quince is essential to this pairing as no other fruit compares. In keeping with these signature Mediterranean flavors, try The Balvenie 17 year old Madeira Cask scotch from the Speyside region. The subtle Madeira finish and fruit notes of this scotch balance beautifully with the Manchego and quince. Equally matched are the flavors of the Pedro Ximenez sherry cask finish of Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, a wonderful new expression from the Highlands region.

Sweet Rembrandt Gouda Cheese Paired With Highland Park 18 Year Old

This semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Holland has distinct spots of crystallized protein presenting an interesting gouda texture on your tongue. It delights with honey and butterscotch notes with a slight saltiness and sharpness. It is said to have the caramel finish of an aged whisky. No wonder it goes so well with the 18 year old Highland Park scotch. From the Island of Orkney this malt has the perfect balance of toffee sweetness and smokey finish. Add pecans to the mix for a truly harmonious pairing.

Nutty Gruyere Cheese Paired With Auchentoshan Three Wood

Gruyere is named for the Swiss village from whence this cow's milk cheese originated. It is semi-soft and a bit grainy in its texture with rich buttery and nutty hazelnut flavors. While this cheese is most well known for its performance in fondue, it is absolutely wonderful on its own. Here hazelnuts are the flavor theme, served either alone or in a roasted hazelnut bread as an accompaniment. Auchentoshan Three Wood is a Lowland malt with persistent sherry and whisps of smoke. It is a rich and expressive whisky with layers of orange peel, liquorice, cassis and or course toasted hazelnut flavor notes.

Pungent Colston Bassett Stilton Cheese Paired with Ardbeg Uigeadail or for a tamer alternative mate with Glenfarclas 17 Year old or other fruity scotches

Nicknamed "King of Blues", this is one of England's finest stiltons. This cow's milk cheese is thick, deliciously pungent and wonderfully salty. For an adventurous taste experience, Ardbeg Uigeadail has the oomph to stand up to a stilton's aggressive flavors. From the Islay region this scotch has seemingly never-ending layers of peat, raisins, subtle sherry, hints of caramel and a slight medicinal note, all intense but balanced in this rich and smokey dram. Raspberries are the unexpected flavor mate. Your grateful palate will be surprised by this exciting taste trifecta.

If you prefer a less peaty dram, then switch flavor gears entirely and opt for a fruity whisky such as a Glenfarclas 17 year old. It may be the raspberry influence but either of these combos are equally divine.

Where to purchase:

1. Many thanks to Rebecca and all the gals at Venissimo Cheese shop in Del Mar, California. The cheese products mentioned here are available through their store or online: http://www.venissimo.com.

2. Read more about each scotch or purchase through our online partner "The Whisky Shop" by clinking the name below:

Oban 15 year old

Glenlivet Nadurra 16 year old

Clynelish 14 year old

The Balvenie 17 year old Madeira cask

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX

Highland Park 18 year old

Auchentoshan Three Wood

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Glenfarclas 17 year old

3. Academia Barilla Spicy Fig Compote can be found at Sur La Table stores or from their own On-line Store: http://www.shop.academiabarilla.com/index.php/eshop/product/Academia-Barilla-Spicy-Fig-Compote.html?a=/1/pid/39/frmCatID/1626/

4. Quince Paste can be found in local gourmet food stores or "google" for several online resources.

Six Favorite Internet Resources for Scotch and Food Pairing

pairing-sites Want to avoid spending way too much time trolling whisky distillery websites and googling your heart out to find book-mark worthy food matching tips? Check out Sip Smoke Savor's six favorite internet resources for scotch and food pairings. These sites provide plenty of information and inspiration to get you started. So what are you waiting for - Click and Explore! Links and instructions are provided at the bottom of the page.

Malts.com

If you are wondering what dram to have with dinner, look no further than the great guide at Malts.com. Expert chefs have paired Diageo malts with seven categories of food. I dare you to keep from salivating as you thumb through their "electronic menu blackboard" to discover new food and spirit combinations. One culinary theme seems to be that hearty dishes work best with whiskies of substantial flavor and body. Another is that Scotch pairs well with all sorts of ethnic dishes. Take for instance the Indian food category. As a lover of spicy foods, I am totally on board with the prospect of pairing Chicken Tiki Marsala with the Talisker 10 year old, but pick your own favorite and personally test their selections. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Glenmorangie

Glenmorangie approaches the pairing table with true gourmand appeal in their limited but selective recommendations. Their beautiful website, while sometimes slow to navigate, delivers spectacular recipes created by Chef Alejandro Sanchez. Here you will find Duck with Orange, Chocolate & Rose Petals served with Quinta Ruban. A daring Tuna, Seaweed, Lime & Vanilla Yoghurt recipe is married with Nectar D'Or. What is left to say about this website than "More Please!"

Highland Park

Scottish Food writer Sue Lawrence lends her passion and expertise to Highland Park for pairings with their core expressions. Six recipes are thoughtfully provided in PDF files. Be sure to read through all, for her additional suggestions go beyond the featured recipe. Scottish cuisine seems to reign supreme when matched with native spirits. This confirms an old wine pairing adage of choosing your drink from the same region of the cuisine that you are serving. But chocolate is universal, so don't miss the Bitter Chocolate and Ginger Truffles matched to a Highland Park 30 year old.

Glenfiddich

"Food for Thought" on Glenfiddich's website offers a short video and written pairings for four of their wonderful drams. You will also find eight recipes among the many recommended match-ups to tease your tastebuds. I am personally keen to try the Sweet Sour King Prawns with Glenfiddich 12 year old or the Citrus Duck with Glenfiddich 18 year old.

Starchefs

Check out my favorite "go to" site for gastronomy in general. Starchefs.com offers a dream menu for whisky pairing in an article entitled "Scotch Steps Forward to the Table". Author Jim Clarke really nails it. He presents culinary creations wed to Macallan and Highland Park expressions through a five course meal. Lobster Cappucino Soup with Macallan 25 year old is just one of eight fabulous recipes by famous master chefs. This article was published in January of 2005, so you might want to review it soon before it is no longer available on-line.

Whisky Kitchen

I highly recommend a visit to WhiskyKitchen.com to absorb the wisdom of masters in cooking and pairing scotch. Sheila McConachie & Graham Harvey have generously provided ten recipes and sage words on their website. These are from their inspired book that is a "must have" for lovers of the malt (click here for our review of their book). While the emphasis here is on cooking with whisky, what better way is there to ensure a good match than to include it as an ingredient.

Follow these links to access each site. Distillery websites will require that pesky "legal-age sign in". Refer to our instructions once you reach their inside homepage.

www.Malts.com - Once you are on their homepage, click on "Try the Malt Matcher", then select "Start Matching". It may take a few seconds to load before you arrive at "My Favorite Food". Click and explore the dishes all matched to Diageo drams.

www.glenmorangie.com - Find your way to the "Expressions" wheel of their kaleidosope. Click on "Explore the Porfolio", then choose Original, Lasanta, Nectar D'Or or Quinta Ruban to reveal stunning food combinations and recipes.

www.highlandpark.co.uk/ - This one is easy. Once you are on the homepage select "Just for Fun" to find pairing advice and recipes.

www.glenfiddich.com - Select "Glenfiddich Explorer" from their homepage. You need to register before going any further. Then head for "Food for Thought" within the Explorer section to enjoy their food pairing tips.

http://www.starchefs.com/wine/starspirits/html/scotch/scotch.shtml - This will link you directly to the article "Scotch Steps Forward at the Table" by Jim Clarke on Starchefs.com.

http://www.whiskykitchen.com/samples/index.php - This will link you directly to recipes on their website.

Footnote: If we missed a valuable internet resource, please contact me at mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or click on our Social Network tab to comment in our food pairing forum. We also welcome you to write on our Facebook wall and share your suggestions with others.

Culinary Mastery Revealed in New Cookbook

book-cover

From the opening chapter of his autobiography to the final essay on page 505, newly published "The Fat Duck Cookbook" will transport you to the captivating Culinary Wonderland inhabited by Michelin three star chef, Heston Blumenthal. Like Alice's fantasy world on the other side of the looking glass, things are not exactly what they seem. Dishes such as nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream defy tradition while they astonish taste buds. In Heston's mind, food is performance art where anticipation, visual presentation and sound are as important as the taste and textural sensation on your tongue. For instance, at his restaurant in the United Kingdom, sea conches are presented with an iPod emitting the shriek of sea gulls and sound of waves crashing on a beach. Unmistakable seaside flavors and textures are accompanied by the perfect auditory stimulation to deliver you for the briefest moments to a distant shoreline, proving to be the ultimate in multi-sensory dining experiences. This is one example of exploration on planet Blumenthal where the cuisine is rich, multidimensional and a bit eccentric, and so is his cookbook.

In this excellent compendium of his life's work, Blumenthal generously shares masterpiece recipes step by step. This book is a treasure trove of innovation that effortlessly criss crosses the borders between food and science. While not exactly a standard for home cooking, so much can be learned and enjoyed while expanding one's own concepts about food preparation and dining through this eminently engaging cooking digest and memoir.

Part I "History" mingles travails with triumph as Blumenthal tells the back story of the growth of his Fat Duck Restaurant in Bray, Berkshire and personal pursuit of those Michelin stars. Artistic sketches explode off the page to lend a visual excitement and energy not found in any other cookbook. Interwoven in this history section are glimpses of genius and invention that provide a valuable context for the rather magical recipes to come.

inside In the Recipe Section of this book, over 40 gems are showcased along with personal insights to help us understand how each dish came to be. Phenomenal photography reinforces his philosophy about the importance of visual components to the taste experience. But be forwarned, Blumenthal dishes are notoriously complex, painstaking and time consuming. He makes no apologies for use of exotic equipment, hard to find ingredients and the personal commitment it will take to successfully execute his recipes. There is no compromise to accomodate a less than accomplished chef. Also note that measurements are in metrics and some only in restaurant sized portions. Each recipe seems to unfold a new adventure in Wonderland that reveals an experimental cooking technique, creative flavor concept or pairing inspiration that is well worth the reading investment whether or not that meal ever makes it to your plate.

The final section of this book includes a list of special ingredients and explanation of kitchen tools and techniques along with various and sundry essays on subjects such as flavor sensation and multi-sensory perception. These articles have been contributed by the many experts who have collaborated with Blumenthal during his years of gastronomic experimentation. This section is the "extra-curricula" for those wishing to have a deeper understanding behind the science and psychology of his menues.

This is one of the most exciting and engaging food related books to come on the market this year. While I may never cook from it (with perhaps the exception of a "sub-recipe"), I've been thoroughly inspired and emboldened by the concepts and creativity found throughout this tome. It is an engaging read that allows you to surreptiously enter Heston's Wonderland of New Cookery where the flavor possibilites are infinite and the pleasures multi-sensory.

To buy this book, click here to go to our bookshelf.

Read about Chef's Blumenthal's philosophy, restaurant and numerous awards at his website: www.fatduck.co.uk.

Passion for Pairings

appetizer In looking around the "Sip Smoke Savor" website, you have probably reached the conclusion that it is operated by confirmed "Maltaholics" with a passion for pairings that enhance the malt whisky experience. Needless to say an area that has been woefully neglected by star chefs, foodies and cookbook writers, is the art of scotch to food pairings. Lest whisky fans feel totally maligned for their liquor religion, we've come to the rescue.

Welcome to our food pairings section and join our quest for the perfect edible companion to your favorite dram. It is believed that at least 80 distinct flavor compounds have been identified in the wide range of scotch whiskies available today. With 90 distilleries in Scotland aging and bottling thousands of expressions, our mission is somewhat daunting but guaranteed to be lots of fun. Our goal is to become the definitive resource and inspiration for the next new culinary experience. Perhaps someday we might even merit for our efforts a "Quick Fire Challenge" on Bravo Channel's Top Chef?

This section will contain a hedonistic catchall of flavor pairing information. Articles will focus on how those many scotch flavors are technically developed and what is essential to know when pairing. We will point you to the best informational websites, and provide pertinent book reviews. We hope to identify and celebrate whisky-friendly chefs and their tasting menues, as well as share exciting recipes along the way. Newcomers to the world of whisky need not be intimidated as there is only one rule. This is all about personal palates and preferences as we are dedicated to the belief there is a dram for every taste.

Musings on Sensory Discrimination In Whisky and Food Tasting

Each person has their own threshold of sensory discrimination. In part due to the differing aspects of individual physiology and also influenced by learned preferences from positive and negative experiences. Known as the "Proust Phenomenon", the link of sense to memory was vividly described in the "tea and madeline" encounter in his famous novel "The Rememberance of Things Past". This literary passage artfully describes the interplay of sight, smell, taste and memory in delivering "an exquisite pleasure" to a simple everyday meal. Taste and smell substantially benefit from visual cues that exploit our memory of those good and bad experiences, or create new ones. Sight is often the first sense to be engaged prior to any connection with aroma or taste. Needless to say, food preparation profits from a little artistry of presentation to set the stage for the stimulation of the other senses to follow.

You have probably read that humans can distinguish around 10,000 different smells. Many scientist believe that no two substances smell exactly alike, thus posing the opportunity to experience an infinite number of scents. Each odorant activates a unique set of olfactory receptors to create a "signature", though no one seems to be able to explain unique preferences for deeming a fragrance pleasant or unpleasant, beguiling or offensive. "Nosing" is an essential element to the enjoyment of whisky. Special drinking glasses and master classes have been created to enhance one's ability to fully exploit the olfactory experience. A nosing kit was specifically designed for the scotch industry that provides 24 essential aroma samples along with a 40 page guide. Developed by expert and aroma scientist George Dood, this kit is as much about identifying the specific scent as building a vocabulary to consistently communicate the experience (What exactly is phenolic?).

Sampling definitely stimulates olfactory receptors and contributes to refining one's sense of smell. If tasti young-drinker ng notes suggest ripe banana peel, wet blanket and seaweed, the quickest way to isolate those scents in a whisky is to experience them in their purest form. This is an exercise (often best done in private) that anyone can perform to sharpen their olfaction acuity. I for one hope that aroma and tasting experts are made and not born. I devour nosing/tasting notes like a chef collects recipes and find these musings immensly intriguing, entertaining and educational. Coveting the skills of these highly trained sniffers, I often check their notes after my initial tasting encounter to ensure not to miss a beat in the sensation/perception department. Beloved and dearly departed Master Whisky Taster Michael Jackson once described a certain scotch as the taste of "barbecue on the beach". I knew even before tasting, that this would be a smoky, peaty, medicinal Islay malt. This phrase is now inseparable with my enjoyment of this dram, adding a suggestive Pavlovian element to the Proust Phenomenon.

Taste has been said to be 75% smell. Much of the flavor of food and drink happens when a fragrance hits the cell receptor both in the naval cavity, back of the mouth and through the complex chemical reactions that intricately dance their way to our brains as we breathe in, chew, taste and swallow. Taste buds have the task to intrepret sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory characteristics of a morsel or liquid while they are also registering its temperature and texture. A rather Freudian focus on "mouth feel" is elemental to the total scotch experience. Phrases such as astringent, oily or mouth coating are routinely used to describe this sensation. Master Tasters go to great lengths to capture an apt description for flavor intensity (body), as well as how layers of taste develop and how long they linger on the tongue (finish). Having been left out by birth from the club of enviable 25% "Super Tasters" in the world, my enjoyment is no less as I struggle to identify that 15th elusive flavor note so vividly described from an aficionado who has sampled more drams than I. While too often this effort results in pondering whether I am actually drinking the same whisky, there is no substitute for the marvelous victory once the flavor is found and the continuing realization that experience truly improves ones sensory discrimination.